In my tears, God has been my joy! In my grief, He has remained my comfort! Today, it's been 6 months, since Jim went home to be with the Lord! How I, too, long to be home! Too see, my Lord and Savior face to face! To see the place He's gone to prepare for those that love and trust in Him! Oh, how I want to be found faithful! I continue to seek the Lord, taking one day at a time, one step at a time. Sometimes it seems more like "hurry up and wait"! But what I want to know, is what do I do! What's God's plan for me? Which way do I go? I've sought the Lord this past two weeks following the steps that Jehoshaphat took in 2 Chronicles 20, when he found himself with his back up against the wall and didn't know what to do! Jehoshaphat's very first response was to turn to His God! Let's take a look!
For some background: Jehoshaphat became king of Judah after his father Asa. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because in his early years he walked in the ways David had followed. The Lord established the kingdom under his control, his heart was devoted to the ways of the Lord. He even set up a nationwide education program, realizing the people were, Biblically, illiterate. Jehoshaphat realized that the first step in getting the people to live as they should was for them to know God's commands. So in the third year of his reign he sent his officials and with them certain Levites throughout Judah to all the towns to teach the people. Jehoshaphat reversed the religious decline and instilled in the heart's of the people a new sense of commitment and mission and the nation began to follow after God. (Sounds like a program our nation needs; if only the church (Christians) would take this mission to heart!)
In 2 Chronicles 20 we find the Moabites, the Ammonites, with some of the Menunites coming to make war on Jehoshaphat. In verse 2 some men came and told Jehoshaphat, "A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Sea. It is already at Hazazon Tamar (that is, En Gedi, remember our blog on En Gedi?)
Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord and He proclaimed a fast for all of Judah. We have a tendency to run around and do anything trying to resolve a problem, but Jehoshaphat's very first thought was to inquire of God, to fast and pray! (Wouldn't you think it would be to gather the army, to make ready?) Jehoshaphat sought God, the only One who knows all things! The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord, they came from every town to seek Him. (Notice, they weren't gathering supplies, no one was running, battle plans weren't being drawn up, their first response shows how much Jehoshaphat's Biblical education plan had impacted the people!) I'm all for writing Jehoshaphat in on our next ballot! Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the Lord in front of the new courtyard and said:
"O Lord, God of our fathers, are You not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in Your hand, and no one can withstand You. O our God, did You not drive out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham, Your friend? They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for Your Name, saying, 'If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgement, or plague or famine, we will stand in Your presence before this temple that bears Your Name and will cry out to You in our distress, and You will hear us and save us.' "But now here are the men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory You would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them. See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession You gave us as an inheritance. O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You." (Jehoshaphat admits his inadequacy, he is humble before his Maker.)
Verse 13 says that, "ALL the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the Lord." (How our nation needs this perspective!)
Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahziel son of Zachariah, as he stood in the assembly. He said:
"Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says of you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out and face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you."(God answered very specifically. They still had to go, to have the faith that God would fight this vast army that was far beyond their ability to take on themselves, they had to believe and to obey!)
Jehoshaphat bowed his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord. Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice. (They did not rush to prepare, but took the time to worship, to thank and praise the Lord, for His response, even though, it had not taken place. They thanked Him in advance!)
Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, " Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in His prophets and you will be successful. After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise Him for the splendor of His Holiness as they went out at the head of the army saying:
"Give thanks to the Lord, for His love endures forever."
(I love this!) "AS THEY BEGAN TO SING AND PRAISE, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. The men of Ammon and Moab rose up against the men of Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men of Seir, they helped to destroy one another. When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped." (No one!) It took them 3 days to carry off all the plunder, there was such a great amount of equipment, clothing and articles of value!
"On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, where they PRAISED the Lord with harps and lutes and trumpets. (Beracah means praise.) The fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard how the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for God had given Him rest on every side."
Oh, how I long for such a oneness of heart for the Lord, in our nation! How, Biblically, illiterate we've become! Pick up your Bibles my friends, study and read the Word of God, that we might know His truths and walk in His ways! Teachers, I encourage you to teach! We can change our nation one heart at a time!
My friend, do you find your back up against the wall today? Are you at a place in your life where you don't know what to do? Jehoshaphat sets us an example!
Here's a brief outline:
1) Jehoshaphat's first response was to commit the situation to God. He, immediately, inquired of God and sought after Him for guidance. Nothing preceded this!
2) He called the people to fasting and prayer. (He had caused all of them to be hidden in God's truths, so they were prepared by understanding God's commands, to have a godly response!
3) He acknowledged God's Sovereignty in the situation. ( This perspective, believing God was in control of all things, brought him peace; it relieved Jehoshaphat from depending on himself or his army for the outcome.)
4) He praised God for His glory and took comfort in His promises. (He was steadfast, he wasn't in a panic and he didn't run in 10 different directions seeking advice!) Jehoshaphat's focus was on One, alone! Jehoshaphat's success lied in where he placed the God of heaven in his life. Jehoshaphat put God first in all things!
5) He obeyed God's instructions, he professed complete dependence on God. (Jehoshaphat's heart was submissive before God, he didn't think he had a better plan, he was wise in seeking God's plan, God's deliverance. He trusted in God's power and might, not in his own.)
6) Jehosaphat and his army did as God asked and marched toward the enemy, but they praised God for His holiness as they did, with expectant hope, that God would do just as He said He would do. Their shields of faith were held up, as their forward guard! They believed the battle was the Lord's!
7) They took the time to thank God, to praise Him, for all He had done! They gave God the glory, honor, and praise that was due Him! The victory was His! (How, quickly, in our excitement, we can be found taking some of the glory unto ourselves.)
My friend, what battle of yours needs to be the Lord's? What have you been trying to do, fight or to figure out on your own that needs to be turned over to our Sovereign Lord? I don't know where you find yourself today, but God is trustworthy, you can give Him any problem! Are you willing to trust in His Sovereignty? Are you willing to trust the outcome to His will and put down your own will and desires and to trust that He knows best? Inquire, seek, fast and pray; acknowledge His Sovereignty. Bring your problem to the Lord, the Creator of the heavens and the earth! If you have made a mistake, ask forgiveness! God does not condemn!
1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, He's just and faithful to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Is there anything you need to make right?
Matthew 4:25 says, "Leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering."
My friend, asking forgiveness sets your sin as far as the east is from the west! Once you have aligned yourself with God, are obedient to His truths, then come into the Presence of His Holiness!
Fall at His feet! Praise His glory, find comfort in His promises! Seek His instruction with fasting and prayer and follow with obedience all He gives you to do! Sing His praises, expecting Him to intervene, to show you His way, let Him bring the victory, let Him do what you cannot! Remember, my friend, to thank Him and give Him the glory for the Victory, He's worthy of praise!
His truths are worth far more than pure gold! They are wisdom for life and we can live by them! They are not burdensome, they bring freedom and rest! Let's bring God back to our nation, one heart at a time! "Lord, I'm praying for revival for your people, the church, and for our nation! Oh, Lord, let it begin with me, change my heart, cause me to walk in obedience, to acknowledge Your Sovereignty and to remain, completely, dependent on You!"
May God bless you today as you seek to walk in obedience to His truths! If you are reading this, I'm praying for you! If we don't know what to do, the answer is found on our knees! Follow Jehoshaphat's example and see God's deliverance!
"Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges My name. He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him."
Psalm 91:14-15
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